Semiconductor package including processor chip and memory chip

ABSTRACT

A semiconductor package includes a package substrate, a processor chip mounted on a first region of the package substrate, a plurality of memory chips mounted on a second region of the package substrate being spaced apart from the first region of the package substrate, a signal transmission device mounted on a third region of the package substrate between the first and second regions of the package substrate, and a plurality of first bonding wires connecting the plurality of memory chips to the signal transmission device. The signal transmission device includes upper pads connected to the plurality of first bonding wires, penetrating electrodes arranged in a main body portion of the signal transmission device and connected to the upper pads, and lower pads in a lower surface portion of the signal transmission device and connected to the penetrating electrodes and connected to the package substrate via bonding balls.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Korean Patent Application No. 10-2017-0150710, filed on Nov. 13, 2017,in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, and entitled: “SemiconductorPackage,” is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

Embodiments relate to semiconductor packages, and more particularly, toa system in package (SiP) including a processor chip and a memory chip.

2. Description of the Related Art

Recently, the market demand for mobile or portable devices has increasedrapidly, and accordingly, miniaturization and weight reductions ofelectronic components mounted on such devices have been continuouslyrequired. For this purpose, many researches have been conducted todevelop a semiconductor package that has a small volume and is able toprocess high-capacity data by highly integrating and incorporating manysemiconductor chips into the semiconductor package. Thus, a system inpackage (SiP) has been developed to efficiently arrange semiconductorchips, e.g., a processor chip and a memory chip, within a limited spaceof a semiconductor package.

SUMMARY

Embodiments are directed a semiconductor package, including a packagesubstrate, a processor chip mounted on a first region of the packagesubstrate, a plurality of memory chips mounted on a second region of thepackage substrate, the second region of the package substrate beingspaced apart from the first region of the package substrate, a signaltransmission device mounted on a third region of the package substratebetween the first and second regions of the package substrate, aplurality of first bonding wires connecting the plurality of memorychips to the signal transmission device. The signal transmission deviceincludes upper pads in an upper surface portion of the signaltransmission device and connected to the plurality of first bondingwires, penetrating electrodes in a main body portion of the signaltransmission device and connected to the upper pads, and lower pads in alower surface portion of the signal transmission device. The lower padsare connected to the penetrating electrodes, and connected to thepackage substrate via bonding balls.

Embodiments are directed to a semiconductor package, including a packagesubstrate including a plurality of internal traces, a processor chipmounted on a first region of the package substrate, a plurality ofmemory chips mounted on a second region of the package substrate andstacked with adhesion members therebetween, the second region of thepackage substrate being spaced apart from the first region of thepackage substrate, the second region of the package substrate, a signaltransmission device mounted on a third region of the package substratebetween the first and second regions of the package substrate, and aplurality of first bonding wires connecting the plurality of memorychips to the signal transmission device. The processor chip and thesignal transmission device transmit a signal via the plurality ofinternal traces, and the plurality of memory chips and the signaltransmission device transmits a signal via the plurality of firstbonding wires.

Embodiments are directed to a semiconductor package, including a packagesubstrate, a processor chip mounted on the package substrate, aplurality of memory chips mounted on the package substrate and toexchange data with each other, a signal transmission device mounted onthe package substrate, a plurality of first bonding wires connecting theplurality of memory chips to the signal transmission device, and amolding member covering lateral surfaces of the processor chip, theplurality of memory chips, and the signal transmission device. Theprocessor chip, the plurality of memory chips, and the signaltransmission device are spaced apart from each other. The signaltransmission device includes upper pads in an upper surface portion ofthe signal transmission device, the upper pads connected to theplurality of first bonding wires, penetrating electrodes in a main bodyportion of the signal transmission device and connected to the upperpads, and lower pads in a lower surface portion of the signaltransmission device. The lower pads are connected to the penetratingelectrodes and connected to the package substrate via bonding balls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features will become apparent to those of skill in the art by describingin detail exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawingsin which:

FIGS. 1A-1D illustrate a semiconductor package according to anembodiment;

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a semiconductor package according to anembodiment;

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a semiconductor package according to anembodiment:

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a semiconductor package according to anembodiment;

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a semiconductor package according to anembodiment;

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate a semiconductor package according to anembodiment; and

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a semiconductorpackage according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Unless mentioned otherwise, a plane area refers to an area of a surfaceparallel to a main surface of a package substrate, and a thicknessrefers to a thickness in a vertical direction with respect to the mainsurface of the package substrate. In addition, unless mentionedotherwise, a vertical direction or a horizontal direction refers to avertical direction or a horizontal direction with respect to the mainsurface of the package substrate. Moreover, unless mentioned otherwise,an upper surface of a stack of components on the package substraterefers to a surface opposite to the main surface of the packagesubstrate, and a lower surface of the stack of the components on thepackage substrate refers to a surface facing the main surface of thepackage substrate.

Embodiments will now be described more fully hereafter with reference tothe accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1A-1D illustrate a semiconductor package 10 according to anembodiment.

FIG. 1A illustrates a vertical sectional view of the semiconductorpackage 10, and FIG. 1B illustrates a plan view of the semiconductorpackage 10. In FIG. 1B, a molding member 510 is not shown for clearlyshowing an internal structure of the semiconductor package 20.

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the semiconductor package 10 may include apackage substrate 100, an external connection terminal 120, a processorchip 200, a plurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A, asignal transmission device 300A, a plurality of first bonding wires 410,and the molding member 510. The package substrate 100 may have a lowersurface and an upper surface including a first region 101, a secondregion 102, and a third region 103 between the first and second regions101 and 102. The external connection terminal 120 may be formed on thelower surface of the package substrate 100. The processor chip 200 maybe mounted on the first region 101 of the upper surface of the packagesubstrate 100. The plurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240Amay be mounted on the second region 102 of the upper surface of thepackage substrate 100, e.g., in a stack. The signal transmission device300A may be mounted on the third region 103 of the upper surface of thepackage substrate 100, e.g., by bonding balls 320, and may bedispositioned between the processor chip 200 and at least one of theplurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 203A, and 240A in a horizontaldirection. The plurality of first bonding wires 410 may connect theplurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A to the signaltransmission device 300A, and may have difference lengths or the samelength.

The package substrate 100 may have upper substrate pads 111 on the uppersurface thereof, and may have lower substrate pads 112 on the lowersurface thereof. The package substrate 100 may also have an internaltrace 110 and a substrate connection via (not shown) that electricallyconnects the upper substrate pads 111 with the lower substrate pads 112.The package substrate 100 may be, e.g., a printed circuit board (PCB).

The package substrate 100 may be formed of at least one material ofphenol resin, epoxy resin, and polyimide. For example, the packagesubstrate 100 may include at least one material of flame retardant 4(FR4), tetrafunctional epoxy, polyphenylene ether, epoxy/polyphenyleneoxide, bismaleimide triazine (BT), thermount, cyanate ester, polyimide,and liquid crystal polymer. The upper substrate pads 111, the lowersubstrate pads 112, the internal trace 110, and the substrate connectionvia may be formed at least one of, for example, copper (Cu), nickel(Ni), aluminum (Al), or beryllium copper (BeCu).

The processor chip 200 may be implemented using, e.g., a microprocessor,a graphics processor, a signal processor, a network processor, a chipset, an audio codec, a video codec, an application processor, or aSystem on Chip (SoC). The microprocessor may include, for example, asingle core or multiple cores.

The plurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A may include,e.g., a high bandwidth memory. According to some embodiments, theplurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A may include, e.g.,a volatile and/or nonvolatile memory. The volatile memory may include,for example, a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a static RAM (SRAM),a thyristor RAM (TRAM), a zero capacitor RAM (ZRAM), or a twintransistor RAM (TTRAM), and memory circuits that are able to temporallystore data while powered on. The nonvolatile memory may include, forexample, a flash memory, a magnetic RAM (MRAM), a spin-transfer torqueMRAM (STT-MRAM), a ferroelectric RAM (FRAM), a phase change RAM (PRAM),a resistive RAM (RRAM), a nanotube RRAM, polymer RAM, a nano floatinggate memory, a holographic memory, a molecular electronics memory, or aninsulator resistance change memory, and memory circuits that are able tomaintain data while powered on and off.

Respective one of the plurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and240A may include a semiconductor substrate having an active surface(e.g., an upper surface) and an inactive surface (e.g., a lower surface)facing each other, memory devices on the active surfaces, and aplurality of upper memory bonding pads 211, 221, 231, and 241 on theactive surfaces. The plurality of upper memory bonding pads 211, 221,231, and 241 may be connected to first bonding wires 410, respectively.

In some embodiments, the plurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and240A may be integrated into a single package in a System in Package(SiP), and the number of the plurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A,and 240A may vary according to a purpose of the semiconductor package10. Embodiments are not restricted by the number of the plurality ofmemory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A. For example, more or lessmemory chips than the plurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and240A may be stacked, e.g., in a vertical direction.

The plurality of memory chips 210A 220A, 230A, and 240A may be stackedon the package substrate 100, and may adhere to each other via, e.g., aplurality of adhesion members 213, 223, 233, and 243.

The plurality of adhesion members 213, 223, 233, and 243 may be, e.g.,die attach films (DAFs). The DAFs may include, e.g., inorganic adhesivesand polymer adhesives. The polymer adhesives may include a thermosettingresin and a thermoplastic resin. The thermosetting resin may have athree-dimensional (3D) cross-link structure after being heated andmolded, and may not soften after being heated again. In contrast, thethermoplastic resin may have plasticity via heating, and may have alinear polymer structure. In some embodiments, the plurality of adhesionmembers 213, 223, 233, and 243 may be hybrid polymer adhesives obtainedby mixing the thermosetting resin and the thermoplastic resin.

The signal transmission device 300A may include a base substrate 301,and a conductive structure formed on the base substrate 301. The basesubstrate 301 may be a silicon wafer including silicon (Si)(e.g.,polycrystal Si, or amorphous Si). The conductive structure of the signaltransmission device 300A may include upper pads 311 in an upper surfaceportion of the base substrate 301, penetrating electrodes 310 in a mainbody portion of the base substrate 301, and lower pads 312 of FIG. 1C ina lower surface portion of the base substrate 301. The upper pads 311may be connected to the first bonding wires 410. The penetratingelectrodes 310 may be connected to the upper pads 311 and may penetratethe main body portion of the base substrate 301, e.g., in the verticaldirection. The lower pads 312 of FIG. 1C may be connected to thepenetrating electrodes 310, and may be connected to the packagesubstrate 100 via the bonding balls 320.

The signal transmission device 300A may be mounted on the third region103 of the upper surface of the package substrate 100 between the firstregion 101 and the second region 102 of the upper surface of the packagesubstrate 100. In other words, the signal transmission device 300A maybe arranged between the processor chip 200 in the first region 101 andthe plurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A in the secondregion 102, and may be spaced apart from the processor chip 200 and theplurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A, i.e., in ahorizontal direction.

According to some embodiments, the signal transmission device 300A mayfurther include a circuit region 330 and a buffer circuit in the circuitregion 330. The buffer circuit may control a capacitance loading of theplurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A. According to otherembodiments, a semiconductor integrated circuit including at least oneof a transistor, a diode, a capacitor, and a resistor may be formed inthe circuit region 330. The circuit region 330 may overlap with theupper pads 311. In some cases, the circuit region 330 may be omitted.

In a plan view, a plane area of the signal transmission device 300A maybe smaller than that of the processor chip 200 and that of each of theplurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A.

The plurality of first bonding wires 410 may electrically connect theplurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A to the signaltransmission device 300A. The plurality of first bonding wires 410 mayconnect the plurality of upper memory bonding pads 211, 221, 231, and241 of the plurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A to theupper pads 311 of the signal transmission device 300A, respectively. Forconvenience of explanation, the accompanying drawings illustrate some ofthe plurality of first bonding wires 410.

The first bonding wires 410 may include at least one of gold (Au),silver (Ag), copper (Cu), or aluminum (Al). According to someembodiments, the first bonding wires 410 may be connected to theplurality of upper memory bonding pads of the plurality of memory chips210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A or the upper pads 311 of the signaltransmission device 300A by at least one of, e.g., thermo-compressionbonding and a ultrasonic bonding, and a thermo-sonic bonding performedby mixing the thermo-compression bonding and the ultrasonic bonding.

The molding member 510 may seal or encapsulate the processor chip 200,the plurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A, the signaltransmission device 300A, and the first bonding wires 410 with the uppersurface of the package substrate 100 to thereby protect them from anexternal environment, e.g., moisture, an impact, a temperature, orstatic electricity.

The molding member 510 may be formed by injecting an appropriate amount(or a predetermined amount) of molding resin onto the package substrate100 in an injection process and hardening the injected molding resin ina hardening process, thereby forming an outward appearance of thesemiconductor package 10. In a pressurization process. e.g., a pressingprocess, the outward appearance of the semiconductor package 10 may beformed by applying a pressure to the molding resin. Process conditions,e.g., a delay time between the injection process and the pressurizationprocess on the molding resin, the amount of injected molding resin, apressing pressure, and a pressing temperature, may be set inconsideration of properties, e.g., a viscosity. According to someembodiments, the molding resin may include, e.g., epoxy-group moldingresin or polyimide-group molding resin.

The molding member 510 may protect the processor chip 200 and theplurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A from an externalinfluence, e.g., moisture, an impact, a temperature, or staticelectricity. For this protection, the molding member 510 may have athickness 510T for surrounding a lateral surface of at least theprocessor chip 200 and respective lateral surfaces of the plurality ofmemory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A. For example, the thickness 510Tof the molding member 510 may be greater than a thickness of theprocessor chip 200 or a total thickness of the plurality of memory chips210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A. According to some embodiments, the moldingmember 510 may surround or cover an upper surface of the processor chip200 and/or upper surfaces of the plurality of memory chips 210A, 220A,230A, and 240A. According to other embodiments, the molding member 510may expose the upper surface of the processor chip 200 and/or the uppersurfaces of the plurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A.

In some embodiments, the molding member 510 may entirely/partially coverthe package substrate 100, and may have a width 510W that may besubstantially the same as a width of the package substrate 100 or thesemiconductor package 10 in, e.g., the horizontal direction.

The plurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A may be stackedto overlap each other, and may have side walls aligned with each othervertically. At least one of the plurality of first bonding wires 410 maypenetrate through e.g., a side wall of at least one of the adhesionmembers 223, 233, and 243. In this case, compared with semiconductorpackages in which a plurality of memory chips are horizontally shiftedby a certain distance from each other and vertically stacked, a planearea of the semiconductor package 10 may be relatively small, andaccordingly, the width 510W of the molding member 510 may decrease.

In general, a processor chip and a plurality of memory chips may bearranged adjacent to each other in a semiconductor package, and maytransmit a signal to each other via an internal trace of a packagesubstrate of the semiconductor package. In this case, a signaltransmission between the plurality of memory chips and the internaltrace of the package substrate may be performed through athrough-silicon via (TSV), not through wire bonding. Use of the TSV forthe signal transmission may increase a manufacturing cost of asemiconductor package and complicate a manufacturing process thereof,compared to use of the wire bonding for the signal transmission.

On the contrary, in the semiconductor package 10 according to anembodiment, signals of the plurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A,and 240A may be transmitted to the signal transmission device 300A viathe plurality of first bonding wires 410 without passing through thepackage substrate 100 or without using any trace/wire of the packagesubstrate 100, and a signal of the processor chip 200 may be transmittedto the signal transmission device 300A via the internal trace 110 of thepackage substrate 100 and then via the bonding balls 320.

In other words, signal transmission paths between the processor chip 200and the plurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A may beformed with, e.g., the plurality of first bonding wires 410, the signaltransmission device 300, and the internal trace 110 of the packagesubstrate 100. As a result, the signal transmission paths between theprocessor chip 200 and the plurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A,and 240A may be efficiently arranged in the semiconductor package 10 toreduce a size of the semiconductor package 10, compared to when thesignal transmission paths between the processor chip 200 and theplurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A may be formed withonly the internal trace of the package substrate 100 or only theplurality of first bonding wires 410. Further, the plurality of firstbonding wires 410 and the internal trace 110 of the package substrate100 may not be adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction, andthus the influence between the signal transmission paths between theprocessor chip 200 and the plurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A,and 240A, e.g., crosstalk, may be reduced. Moreover, the signaltransmission paths between the processor chip 200 and the plurality ofmemory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A may be distributed in differentroutes, e.g., the plurality of first bonding wires 410 and the internaltrace 110 of the package substrate 100, for efficient distribution ofelectrical resistances/impedances for signal transmission, for efficientdistribution of electrical resistances/impedances for signaltransmission and thus the semiconductor package 10 may have improvedperformance.

Signal transmission between the processor chip 200 and the signaltransmission device 300A and signal transmission between the pluralityof memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A and the signal transmissiondevice 300A will be described below.

FIG. 1C illustrates a magnified view of a portion C of FIG. 1A.

The processor chip 200 may include chip pads 202 on it lower surface.The chip pads 202 may be connected to a semiconductor device of theprocessor chip 200 via a wiring structure (not shown). The signaltransmission device 300A may include the lower pads 312 on its lowersurface. The lower pads 312 may be electrically connected to the upperpads 311 in FIG. 1D via the penetrating electrodes 310 formed in themain body portion of the base substrate 301. The chip pads 202 and thelower pads 312 may be used as terminals for the signal transmissionbetween the processor chip 200 and the signal transmission device 300A.The numbers of the chip pads 202 and the lower pads 312 and arrangementsthereof are illustrated as an example, and may be appropriately selectedor determined according to the type and capacity of the semiconductorpackage 10.

The internal trace 110 of the package substrate 100 may electricallyconnect the processor chip 200 to the signal transmission device 300A.For example, the chip pads 202 may be electrically connected to theinternal trace 110 via bonding balls 204 and the upper substrate pads111, and the lower pads 312 may be electrically connected to theinternal trace 110 via the bonding balls 320 and the upper substratepads 111. In other words, the processor chip 200 and the signaltransmission device 300A may transmit (e.g., send and receive) a signalvia the internal trace 110 of the package substrate 100.

FIG. 1D illustrates a magnified view of a portion D of FIG. 1A.

The memory chip 210A may include the upper memory bonding pad 211 on itupper surface. The upper memory bonding pad 211 may be connected to asemiconductor device of the memory chip 210A via a wiring structure (notshown). The signal transmission device 300A may include the upper pads311 on its upper surface. The upper pads 311 may be electricallyconnected to the lower pads 312 in FIG. 1C via the penetratingelectrodes 310. The upper memory bonding pads 211 and the upper pads 311may be used as terminals for the signal transmission between theplurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and 240A and the signaltransmission device 300A. The numbers of the upper memory bonding pads211 and upper pads 311 and arrangements thereof are illustrated as anexample, and may be appropriately selected or determined according tothe type and capacity of the semiconductor package 10.

The first bonding wires 410 may electrically connect the memory chip210A to the signal transmission device 300A. For example, the firstbonding wires 410 may electrically connect the upper memory bonding pads211 to the upper pads 311. In other words, the memory chip 210A and thesignal transmission device 300A may transmit a signal via the firstbonding wires 410.

Referring to FIGS. 1A-1D, in the semiconductor package 10 according toan embodiment, the signal transmission between the processor chip 200and the signal transmission device 300A may be performed via theinternal trace 110 of the package substrate 100, and the signaltransmission between the plurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A, and240A and the signal transmission device 300A may be performed via thefirst bonding wires 410. Thus, in the semiconductor package 10, theprocessor chip 200 and the plurality of memory chips 210A, 220A, 230A,and 240A may transmit a signal to each other via the signal transmissiondevice 300A.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a semiconductor package 20 according to anembodiment.

FIG. 2A illustrates a vertical sectional view of the semiconductorpackage 20, and FIG. 2B illustrates a plan view of the semiconductorpackage 20. In FIG. 2B, a molding member 520 is not shown for clearlyshowing an internal structure of the semiconductor package 20.

Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the semiconductor package 20 includes thepackage substrate 100, the processor chip 200, a plurality of memorychips 210B, 220B, 230B, and 240B, a signal transmission device 300B, theplurality of first bonding wires 410, and the molding member 520.

Components that constitute the semiconductor package 20 and materialsused to form the components are the same as or similar to thosedescribed above with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, and thus differencestherebetween will be described.

The plurality of memory chips 210B, 220B, 230B, and 240B may besequentially stacked on the second region 102 of the package substrate100 in a vertical direction (i.e., in a z direction). The plurality ofmemory chips 210B. 220B, 230B, and 240B are shifted by a certaindistance from each memory chip in a horizontal direction (i.e., in an xdirection) on the package substrate 100 such that the upper memorybonding pads 211, 221, and 231 formed in respective portions of theupper surfaces of the plurality of memory chips 210B, 220B, 230B, and240B do not overlap each other in the vertical direction and are notcovered by the adhesion member 223, 233, and 243. As the plurality ofmemory chips 210B, 220B, 230B, and 240B are positioned farther from thepackage substrate 100 in the vertical direction, the plurality of memorychips 210B, 220B, 230B, and 240B may be dispositioned farther from theprocessor chip 200 in the horizontal direction.

As a result, the plurality of first bonding wires 410 may be connectedto the upper memory bonding pads 211, 221, 231, and 241 withoutpenetrating through the adhesion member 223, 233, and 243. Thus, theplurality of first bonding wires 410 may electrically connect the uppermemory bonding pads 211, 221, 231, and 241 to the signal transmissiondevice 300B without penetrating through the adhesion member 223, 233,and 243. This may bring a difference in a manufacturing process. Forexample, after all of the plurality of memory chips 210B, 220B, 230B,and 240B are sequentially stacked, the plurality of first bonding wires410 may be formed in batches.

Compared with semiconductor packages including a plurality of memorychips that are arranged and stacked vertically, a plane area of thesemiconductor package 20 may increase, and accordingly, a width 520W ofthe molding member 520 may increase.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a semiconductor package 30 according to anembodiment.

FIG. 3A illustrates a vertical sectional view of the semiconductorpackage 30, and FIG. 3B illustrates a plan view of the semiconductorpackage 30. In FIG. 3B, a molding member 530 is not shown for clearlyshowing an internal structure.

Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the semiconductor package 30 includes thepackage substrate 100, the processor chip 200, a plurality of memorychips 210C, 220C, 230C, and 240C, a signal transmission device 300C, theplurality of first bonding wires 410, a second bonding wire 420, and themolding member 530.

Components that constitute the semiconductor package 30 and materialsused to form the components are the same as or similar to thosedescribed above with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, and thus differencestherebetween will be described.

The plurality of memory chips 210C, 220C, 230C, and 240C may besequentially stacked on the second region 102 of the package substrate100 in a vertical direction (i.e., in a z direction). The plurality ofmemory chips 210C, 220C, 230C, and 240C are shifted by a certaindistance from each memory chip in a horizontal direction (i.e., in an xdirection) on the package substrate 100 such that the upper memorybonding pads 211, 221, and 231 formed in respective portions of theupper surfaces of the plurality of memory chips do not overlap eachother in the vertical direction and are not covered by the adhesionmember 223, 233, and 243. As the plurality of memory chips 210C, 220C,230C, and 240C are positioned farther from the package substrate 100 inthe vertical direction, the plurality of memory chips 210C, 220C. 230C,and 240C may be dispositioned farther from the processor chip 200 in thehorizontal direction.

The plurality of first bonding wires 410 may electrically connect theplurality of memory chips 210C, 220C, 230C, and 240C to the signaltransmission device 300C. The plurality of first bonding wires 410 mayconnect the plurality of upper memory bonding pads 211, 221, 231, and241 of the plurality of memory chips 210C, 220C, 230C, and 240C to theupper pads 311 of the signal transmission device 300C, respectively. Forconvenience of explanation, the accompanying drawings illustrate some ofthe plurality of first bonding wires 410.

The second bonding wire 420 may directly connect the plurality of memorychips 210C, 220C, 230C, and 240C to the upper substrate pad 111 of thepackage substrate 100 without via the signal transmission device 300C.The second bonding wire 420 (instead of the first bonding wires 410) mayconnect a power/ground pad of the upper memory bonding pad 211, 221,231, and 241 of the plurality of memory chips 210C, 220C, 230C, and 240Cto a power/ground pad of the upper substrate pads 111 of the packagesubstrate 100.

The second bonding wire 420 may be connected to a pad that provides apower/ground voltage to the plurality of memory chips 2100, 220C, 230C,and 240C, from among the upper memory bonding pads 211, 221, 231, and241. According to some embodiments, the second bonding wire 420 mayconnect the memory chip 210C at the lowest position among the pluralityof memory chips 210C, 220C, 230C, and 240C to the package substrate 100and connect the plurality of memory chips 210C. 220C, 230C, and 240C toeach other. Thus, the second bonding wire 420 may serially andsequentially connect the pad for the power/ground voltage of the packagesubstrate 100 and the upper memory bonding pads 211, 221, 231, and 241of the plurality of memory chips 210C, 220C, 230C, and 240C.

While input/output (I/O) signal transmission may be performed betweenthe processor chip 200 and the plurality of memory chips 210C, 220C,230C, and 240C via the signal transmission device 300C in a bilateraldirection, a supply of the power/ground voltage may be performed betweenthe plurality of memory chips 210C, 220C, 230C, and 240C and the packagesubstrate 100 in a unilateral direction via the second bonding wire 420.In this case, the signal transmission device 300C may perform the I/Osignal transmission between the processor chip 200 and the plurality ofmemory chips 210C, 220C, 230C, and 240C without supplying thepower/ground voltage, and thus interference of the I/O signaltransmission, which may be caused by, e.g., the power/ground voltage,may be reduced. Moreover, the plurality of memory chips 210C, 220C,230C, and 240C may minimize power loss and may stably receive thepower/ground voltage, as the plurality of memory chips 210C, 220C, 230C,and 240C may be powered and grounded to the outside via the externalconnection terminals 120 without passing through the signal transmissiondevice 300C.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a semiconductor package 40 according to anembodiment.

FIG. 4A illustrates a vertical sectional view of the semiconductorpackage 40, and FIG. 4B illustrates a plan view of the semiconductorpackage 40. In FIG. 4B, a molding member 540 is not shown for clearlyshowing an internal structure of the semiconductor package 40.

Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the semiconductor package 40 includes thepackage substrate 100, the processor chip 200, a plurality of memorychips 210D, 220D, 230D, and 240D that may exchange data with each other,a signal transmission device 300D, the plurality of first bonding wires410, and the molding member 540.

Components that constitute the semiconductor package 40 and materialsused to form the components are the same as or similar to thosedescribed above with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, and thus differencestherebetween will be described.

At least two neighboring memory chips of the plurality of memory chips210D, 220D, 230D, and 240D may be connected to one of the upper pads 311of the signal transmission device 300D via corresponding first bondingwires 410 to which the at least two neighboring memory chips areconnected. For example, corresponding first bonding wires 410respectively connected to the memory chips 210D and 220D may beconnected to a single first upper pad 311, and corresponding firstbonding wires 410 respectively connected to the other memory chips 230Dand 240D may be connected to a single second upper pad 311. According toother embodiments, all of the plurality of first bonding wires 410connected to the plurality of memory chips 210D, 220D, 230D, and 240Dmay be connected to a single third upper pad 311. Thus, at least two ofthe plurality of memory chips 210D. 220D. 230D, and 240D may be the samekind of memory chips that may perform data combination or data mergebetween each other. Accordingly, compared with semiconductor packages inwhich a plurality of memory chips are different kinds of memory chipsthat may not perform data combination or data merge therebetween, thenumber of upper pads 311 may decrease, and a width of the signaltransmission device 300D may be reduced.

The plurality of memory chips 210D, 220D, 230D, and 240D may be alignedwith each other vertically, and at least one of the plurality of firstbonding wires 410 may penetrate through at least one of the adhesionmembers 223, 233, and 243. Moreover, the width of the signaltransmission device 300D may be reduced such that a horizontal distancebetween the processor chip 200 and the plurality of memory chips 210D,220D, 230D, and 240D may decrease. In this case, compared with thesemiconductor packages in which the plurality of memory chips aredifferent kinds of memory chips, an area of the semiconductor package 40may decrease, and accordingly, a width 540W of the molding member 540may decrease.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a semiconductor package 50 according to anembodiment.

FIG. 5A illustrates a vertical sectional view of the semiconductorpackage 50, and FIG. 5B illustrates a plan view of the semiconductorpackage 50. In FIG. 5B, a molding member 550 is not shown for clearlyshowing an internal structure.

Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, the semiconductor package 50 includes thepackage substrate 100, the processor chip 200, a plurality of memorychips 210E, 220E, 230E, and 240E that may exchange data with each other,a signal transmission device 300E, a plurality of first bonding wires410 and the molding member 550.

Components that constitute the semiconductor package 50 and materialsused to form the components are the same as or similar to thosedescribed above with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, and thus differencestherebetween will be described.

The plurality of memory chips 210E, 220E, 230E, and 240E may be stackedon the second region 102 of the package substrate 100. The plurality ofmemory chips 210E, 220E, 230E, and 240E may be shifted by a certaindistance from each memory chip in a horizontal direction on the packagesubstrate 100 and may be sequentially stacked one on another such thatthe upper memory bonding pads 211, 221, and 231 formed in respectiveportions of the upper surfaces of the plurality of memory chips 210E,220E, 230E, and 240E may not be covered by the adhesion member 223, 233,and 243. As the plurality of memory chips 210E, 220E, 230E, and 240E maybe positioned farther from the package substrate 100, the plurality ofmemory chips 210E, 220E, 230E, and 240E may be stacked in a directionfurther away from the processor chip 200.

The plurality of memory chips 210E, 220E, 230E, and 240E may beconnected to one of the upper pads 311 of the signal transmission device300E via a plurality of first bonding wires 410 that may be connected toeach other in series. For example, the plurality of first bonding wires410 serially connected to the memory chips 210E, 220E, 230E, and 240Emay be connected to a same first upper pad 311. The plurality of firstbonding wires 410 may connect the plurality of memory chips 210E, 220E,230E, and 240E to each other. Thus, all of the plurality of memory chips210E, 220E, 230E, and 240E may be the same kind of memory chips that mayperform data combination or data merge between each other. Accordingly,compared with semiconductor packages in which a plurality of memorychips are different kinds of memory chips, the number of upper pads 311may decrease, and accordingly a width of the signal transmission device300E may decrease.

In this case, compared with the semiconductor packages in which theplurality of memory chips are different kinds of memory chips, an areaof the semiconductor package 50 may decrease, and accordingly, a width550W of the molding member 550 may decrease.

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate a semiconductor package 60 according to anembodiment.

FIG. 6A illustrates a vertical sectional view of the semiconductorpackage 60, and FIG. 6B illustrates a plan view of the semiconductorpackage 60. In FIG. 6B, a molding member 560 is not shown for clearlyshowing an internal structure.

Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, the semiconductor package 60 includes thepackage substrate 100, the processor chip 200, a plurality of memorychips 210F, 220F, 230F, and 240F that may exchange data with each other,a signal transmission device 300F, the plurality of first bonding wires410, a third bonding wire 430, and the molding member 560.

Components that constitute the semiconductor package 60 and materialsused to form the components are the same as or similar to thosedescribed above with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, and thus differencestherebetween will be described below.

The plurality of memory chips 210F, 220F, 230F, and 240F may be stackedon the second region 102 of the package substrate 100. The plurality ofmemory chips 210F, 220F, 230F, and 240F may be shifted by a certaindistance from each memory chip in a horizontal direction on the packagesubstrate 100 and may be sequentially stacked one on another such thatthe upper memory bonding pads 211, 221, and 231 formed in respectiveportions of the upper surfaces of the plurality of memory chips 210F,220F, 230F, and 240F may not be covered by the adhesion member 223, 233,and 243.

As the plurality of memory chips 210F, 220F, 230F, and 240F may bepositioned farther from the package substrate 100, the plurality ofmemory chips 210F, 220F, 230F, and 240F may be stacked in a directioncloser to the processor chip 200. Accordingly, in a plan view, at leasta portion of the signal transmission device 300F may overlap theplurality of memory chips 210F, 220F, 230F, and 240F.

The plurality of memory chips 210F, 220F, 230F, and 240F may beconnected to each other via the third bonding wire 430. The plurality offirst bonding wires 410 may connect redistribution pads 242 formed on anupper surface of the memory chip 240F at the highest position among theplurality of memory chips 210F, 220F, 230F, and 240F to the upper pads311 of the signal transmission device 300F. Thus, all of the pluralityof memory chips 210F, 220F, 230F, and 240F may be the same kind ofmemory chips that may perform data combination or data merge betweeneach other. Accordingly, compared with semiconductor packages in which aplurality of memory chips are different kinds of memory chips, thenumber of upper pads 311 may decrease, and accordingly a width of thesignal transmission device 300F may decrease.

The memory chip 240F at the highest position among the plurality ofmemory chips 210F. 220F. 230F, and 240F may further include theredistribution pads 242 and redistribution lines 245. The redistributionline 245 may electrically connect the upper memory bonding pads 241 tothe redistribution pads 242. The redistribution lines 245 may extendfrom the upper memory bonding pads 241 to the redistribution pads 242such that the upper memory bonding pads 241 and the redistribution pads242 may be flexibly located on the memory chip 240F. Thus, theredistribution pads 242 may be arranged adjacent to the signaltransmission device 300F. The first bonding wires 410 may electricallyconnect the redistribution pads 242 to the upper pads 311. Accordingly,the redistribution pads 242 adjacent to the signal transmission device300F may simplify an arrangement of the first bonding wires 410. Forconvenience of explanation, FIG. 6B illustrates that the redistributionlines 245 are exposed. However, the redistribution lines 245 may not beexposed.

The width of the signal transmission device 300F may decrease. As thesignal transmission device 300F may be partially overlapped by theplurality of memory chips 210F, 220F, 230F, and 240F, an areaindependently occupied by the signal transmission device 300F may bereduced. In this case, compared with semiconductor packages in which aplurality of memory chips are different kinds of memory chips andsemiconductor packages in which, when a plurality of memory chips arepositioned farther from a package substrate, the plurality of memorychips are shifted by a certain distance from each memory chip in adirection further away from a processor chip and are stacked, an area ofthe semiconductor package 60 may decrease, and accordingly, a width 560Wof the molding member 560 may decrease.

FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of a structure of a semiconductorpackage 1000 according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 7, the semiconductor package 1000 may include amicroprocessor unit (MPU) 1010, a memory 1020, an interface 1030, agraphics processing unit (GPU) 1040, function blocks 1050, and a systembus 1060 via which these components may be connected to one another. Thesemiconductor package 1000 may include both the MPU 1010 and the GPU1040 or may include either the MPU 1010 or the GPU 1040.

The MPU 1010 may include a core and an L2 cache. For example, the MPU1010 may include multiple cores. The multiple cores may preformidentical functions or different functions. The multiple cores may beactivated at the same time or at different time points.

The memory 1020 may store results of processes performed in the functionblocks 1050, under the control of the MPU 1010. The interface 1030 maytransmit or received information or signals with external devices. TheGPU 1040 may perform graphic functions. For example, the GPU 1040 mayperform a video codec or a 3D graphic process. The function blocks 1050may perform various functions. For example, the semiconductor package1000 may be an application processor (AP) for use in mobile devices,some of the function blocks 1050 may perform a communication function.The semiconductor package 1000 may include one of the semiconductorpackages 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 according to embodiments describedabove with reference to FIGS. 1A-6B.

Example embodiments have been disclosed herein, and although specificterms are employed, they are used and are to be interpreted in a genericand descriptive sense only and not for purpose of limitation. In someinstances, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art asof the filing of the present application, features, characteristics,and/or elements described in connection with a particular embodiment maybe used singly or in combination with features, characteristics, and/orelements described in connection with other embodiments unless otherwisespecifically indicated. Accordingly, it will be understood by those ofskill in the art that various changes in form and details may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention asset forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A semiconductor package, comprising: a packagesubstrate; a processor chip mounted on a first region of the packagesubstrate; a plurality of memory chips mounted on a second region of thepackage substrate, the second region of the package substrate beingspaced apart from the first region of the package substrate; a signaltransmission device mounted on a third region of the package substratebetween the first and second regions of the package substrate, theprocessor chip and the signal transmission device transmit a signaltherebetween via the package substrate; and a plurality of first bondingwires that connect the plurality of memory chips directly to the signaltransmission device, the plurality of memory chips and the signaltransmission device transmit a signal therebetween via the plurality offirst bonding wires without passing via the package substrate, whereinthe signal transmission device includes: upper pads in an upper surfaceportion of the signal transmission device, the upper pads connected tothe plurality of first bonding wires; penetrating electrodes in a mainbody portion of the signal transmission device, the penetratingelectrodes connected to the upper pads; and lower pads in a lowersurface portion of the signal transmission device, the lower padsconnected to the penetrating electrodes and connected to the packagesubstrate via bonding balls.
 2. The semiconductor package as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising: a second bonding wire that directlyconnects the plurality of memory chips to the package substrate.
 3. Thesemiconductor package as claimed in claim 2, wherein: the plurality ofmemory chips include an input/output (I/O) pad and a power/ground pad,the plurality of first bonding wires are connected to the I/O pad, andthe second bonding wire is connected to the power/ground pad.
 4. Thesemiconductor package as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second bondingwire connects a memory chip at a lowest position among the plurality ofmemory chips to the package substrate and connects the plurality ofmemory chips to one another.
 5. The semiconductor package as claimed inclaim 1, wherein each of the plurality of memory chips includes: asemiconductor substrate having an active surface and an inactive surfacethat face each other; a memory device on the active surface; and anupper memory bonding pad on the active surface, the upper memory bondingpad connected to the first bonding wires, and wherein the plurality ofmemory chips are sequentially and horizontally shifted by a distancefrom each other and stacked such that the upper memory bonding pads areexposed.
 6. The semiconductor package as claimed in claim 5, wherein thememory chips are positioned horizontally farther from the processor chipas the memory chips are positioned vertically farther from the packagesubstrate.
 7. The semiconductor package as claimed in claim 5, whereinthe memory chips are positioned horizontally closer to the processorchip as the memory chips are positioned vertically farther from thepackage substrate.
 8. The semiconductor package as claimed in claim 7,wherein in a plan view, a plane area of the signal transmission deviceis less than a plane area of at least one of the plurality of memorychips, and a portion of the signal transmission device overlaps the atleast one of the plurality of memory chips.
 9. The semiconductor packageas claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal transmission device furtherincludes a buffer circuit to control a capacitance loading of theplurality of memory chips.
 10. A semiconductor package, comprising: apackage substrate; a processor chip mounted on the package substrate; aplurality of memory chips mounted on the package substrate and toexchange data with each other; a signal transmission device mounted onthe package substrate, the processor chip and the signal transmissiondevice transmit a signal therebetween via the package substrate; aplurality of first bonding wires that connect the plurality of memorychips directly to the signal transmission device, the plurality ofmemory chips and the signal transmission device transmit a signaltherebetween via the plurality of first bonding wires without passingvia the package substrate; and a molding member that covers lateralsurfaces of the processor chip, the plurality of memory chips, and thesignal transmission device, wherein: the processor chip, the pluralityof memory chips, and the signal transmission device are spaced apartfrom each other, and the signal transmission device includes: upper padsin an upper surface portion of the signal transmission device, the upperpads connected to the plurality of first bonding wires; penetratingelectrodes in a main body portion of the signal transmission device, thepenetrating electrodes connected to the upper pads; and lower pads in alower surface portion of the signal transmission device, the lower padsconnected to the penetrating electrodes and connected to the packagesubstrate via bonding balls.
 11. The semiconductor package as claimed inclaim 10, wherein: the plurality of memory chips are identical, and atleast two of the plurality of first bonding wires are connected to asingle upper pad of the signal transmission device.
 12. Thesemiconductor package as claimed in claim 10, wherein: the plurality ofmemory chips include upper memory bonding pads connected to the firstbonding wires, and are sequentially and horizontally shifted by adistance from each other and stacked such that the upper memory bondingpads are exposed, and the plurality of first bonding wires connect theupper memory bonding pad of a memory chip at a lowest position among theplurality of memory chips to the upper pads of the signal transmissiondevice and connect the upper memory bonding pads of the plurality ofmemory chips to each other.
 13. The semiconductor package as claimed inclaim 10, wherein: the plurality of memory chips include upper memorybonding pads, and are sequentially and horizontally shifted by adistance from each other and stacked such that the upper memory bondingpads are exposed, a memory chip at a highest position among theplurality of memory chips further includes redistribution pads connectedto the first bonding wires, the semiconductor package further includes athird bonding wire that connects the upper memory bonding pads to eachother.
 14. The semiconductor package as claimed in claim 13, wherein thememory chip at the highest position further includes redistributionlines that electrically connect the upper memory bonding pads to theredistribution pads.